


I'm drowning (in your eyes)

by Writerofthelorde



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Badass Sokka (Avatar), Coffee date, Cuddling, Dorks in Love, Drowning, Falling In Love, First Date, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gentle Kissing, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Lifeguard, Longing, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Meet-Cute, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Pining, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Sane Azula (Avatar), Scared Zuko, Second Date, Sokka falls fast and hard, Sokka falls in love fast, Swimming, Tenderness, Text Messages, True Love, Yearning, Zuko & Azula have a good relationship, Zuko falls fast and hard, beach, caring Sokka, flirty Zuko, flirty sokka, lifeguard Sokka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26620711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writerofthelorde/pseuds/Writerofthelorde
Summary: Zuko (29) went to the beach with his sister and their friends. Something happened and he almost drowned. Luckily Sokka (28) was a lifeguard and saved his life. Too bad his eyes were so blue Zuko started drowning all over again.Or, modern AU in which Zuko almost drowns, the ever-gorgeous Sokka saves him, and in the haze of almost dying he flirts with the guy. Luckily Sokka was into that, and more importantly, him.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 241





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: minor cursing and hints towards sexual activities.
> 
> Next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow! <3

Sokka dragged the boy onto the board and pulled him back to the beach.

“Can you stand?” He asked carefully, checking to see if the guy was okay.

Zuko tried his best. He nodded when he thought he had it down, but then when he stumbled and almost fell the lifeguard reached out and kept him steady. One hand was on his waist and the other hand was gripping his arm, strong but gentle. Zuko was about to chuckle and ask him if he wanted to dance or something, but then he looked up at the man who saved his life and was immediately caught off guard.

“ _Wow_. You’re gorgeous.” He breathed, feeling the need to drift closer to this magnificent lifesaver.

Sokka laughed and blushed. “You had a near-death experience and the first thing you say is that I’m hot..? Damn.”

“I didn’t say hot. Although…” He looked him up and down. The movement made the world spin and he grabbed onto the man to steady himself. “That is also true…” He was embarrassingly out of breath. He had, of course, literally just almost drowned, but he had already forgotten about that.

Sokka blushed more, trying to stay professional while this cute guy complimented him. He tried not to check him out, but as the guy was looking at him all mesmerised and out of breath, he just couldn’t help but inspect his face.

Zuko gazed at him. He was trying very hard not to feel around the guy’s arms. He was all too aware that in the panic of steadying himself he had grabbed a hold of his upper arms and the strong toned biceps he could feel under his fingers were.. _nice_. To say the least.

He looked at his face, the other man was checking him to see if he was alright and as he did that Zuko allowed himself to stare at the man’s beautiful eyes. His eyes seemed to put him in a trance that made him feel like he needed to explain why he called him gorgeous, and so he opened his mouth to speak quietly.

“I said gorgeous because your hair is all flow-y, and your skin is glowing, and your bone structure is _heavenly_ , and your eyes are more blue than the ocean. I feel like I’m drowning.”

Sokka rolled his eyes, enamoured. He hoped the heat he felt in his cheeks wasn't showing up. “You _were_ drowning.”

He pulled him along down the beach to his post.

“No, I mean in your eyes.” Zuko tried to keep looking at them as they walked. Which… was not a good idea as he almost tripped over something. Twice. It was a good thing this hot lifeguard was ready for that with his damn strong hands on his waist.

“It’s a good thing you’re cute, or else this would’ve been beyond embarrassing.” Sokka laughed as he sat Zuko down on a cooler to check on him. As were his duties.

“Cute, huh?” Zuko flashed his best smile. He hoped.

“Don’t push your luck. I could just pull you back into the ocean and let you drown.” Sokka pointed his thumb over his shoulder. He made the mistake of looking him in the eye and he could see the look in the other man’s eyes get glassy.

He had to firmly tell himself that the guy was probably hallucinating from the amount of saltwater he had gulped down, and didn’t actually think these things about him at all. It was hard to believe that though because the look in his eyes was so damn mesmerised Sokka felt like it was pulling him in. It didn’t help that the guy was actually genuinely cute either.

“Yeah. You already are.” Zuko said with a happy sigh. He had been staring _deeply_ into those blue eyes while Sokka had been thinking to himself.

Sokka took a few seconds to just let the moment happen. The guy really was cute. _Really_ cute. And _so_ pretty.

“Are you high?” He asked eventually, when Zuko’s eyes moved away from his, down to his chest.

“What? No. Why would you think that?” The older boy was confused. Did he think he almost drowned because he was high and shouldn’t be swimming right now? He could never be that irresponsible. At least, not anymore. He was an adult now. Well, he tried to be.

“Because you just almost died and the first thing you do is flirt with me.” He wasn’t sure why he winked at him, but he did. “Usually the people I pull from the water thank me, have a minor crisis about how they’re living their lives, and then they go about their day.”

“I’m not flirting.” He retorted with a chuckle, but then he straightened. “Am I… Am I flirting..? I mean shit you are _absolutely_ gorgeous, and your eyes are genuinely the _best_ thing I’ve ever seen, and your arms, oh good _god_ your arms, and I mean all of you.. all of you is handsome, no wait handsome doesn’t cut it. Not even _close_. But I mean, saying that isn’t flirting..! _Right_..?” He looked around the beach, and then back at the guy in front of him.

Sokka made sure not to look back and just took his blood pressure like he had to. For his job. That he was doing. He had so much heat in his cheeks though. So much heat that he felt like he was going to explode.

“Shit. I’m flirting..!” Zuko was suddenly wide awake. No drowse from the exhaustion or slight hallucination from the salt of the seawater. It was all gone in a sudden shocking realisation. “Shit. Sorry dude. I don’t… I don’t usually…” He swallowed heavily as he looked at the gorgeous man’s chest. “…flirt…”

The laugh Sokka let out in reply was so damn endearing Zuko looked up at his eyes immediately.

“You’re fine,” Sokka promised him. “As I said.. it’s a good thing you’re cute.” He winked at him. He knew he shouldn’t be playing, shouldn’t be continuing their flirting, but the guy really was cute, and if he had just seen him sitting on the beach he would’ve asked for his number.

Zuko blushed. “Stop that.” He whispered. Big Shit. He played himself. Now the guy was flirting with _him_!

Sokka shook his head with a look that was too damn playful. That should not be allowed.

“Nah.. You’re even cuter now that you’re blushing.” Another wink.

“I-I am not. blushing.” Zuko gasped.

“Right,” Sokka said as he sneakily grabbed his phone. He quickly took a picture and then showed it to him. “Then what’s this?”

Zuko gaped at him. “I- That- You- I was drowning..! A moment ago! That’s what that is..!”

“Right,” Sokka said again, his eyes so playful Zuko couldn’t look away. “In my eyes, right?” His voice was soft, and his gaze now even softer. “You’re doing it again.” He said almost in a whisper. Damn this guy did really have an effect on him.

Zuko cleared his throat and tried to look away but made the mistake of looking down at his lips. They looked soft. _Oh no_.

Sokka chuckled quietly and moved over to his bag. He put his phone into it, hoping that he was allowed to keep the photo. He just looked too damn cute all blushy and flustered. Sokka wanted to remember this moment forever. He hadn't felt this light in so long. He shook his head and forced himself to stay professional. Or to go back to it at least...

“I really am going to have to check a couple of things. It’s protocol. Just to make sure I don’t need to call you an ambulance or something, you know.” 

Zuko nodded. He hadn’t heard all of that, too distracted by the sight of his lips, rather than the words coming out. Something about checking and protocol.

He gasped when something cold hit his chest. He looked down to see what it was and then back up to see Sokka smirking. Well, that was professionalism out the door... How could he be professional when this guy was so damn cute he was feeling himself falling for him already? Boy, he was falling fast and hard.

“Sorry, I have to make sure your heart is beating well.” He shrugged… in a flirty way… He didn’t even know that was possible. “It is protocol.” The guy added with a teasing tone. Did he know he hadn’t been paying attention?

Zuko stayed quiet, trying his best to keep his heart rate down as the stethoscope moved around his chest.

Sokka didn’t like the silence. He had been having fun with this guy who was… he looked him up and down… probably around his age.

“So, what’s your name?” He asked casually.

Zuko’s heart rate went up. “It’s Zuko,” he said too quietly.

“Zuko. That’s a nice name. I’m Sokka.”

His heart rate went up again. _Sokka_.

Badumbadumbadumbadum

“How old are you?”

“I’m 29.”

“Hm.” Sokka looked him up and down. “Good. I’m 28.”

Badum badum badum badum badum

“You really are cute,” Sokka said, pretending to be truthful rather than teasing. If he was being honest he’d have to admit that it was both.

_badumbadumbadumbadumbadumbadum_

“Hey! That’s cheating!” Zuko whined as he saw him grin and felt his own heart hammering in his chest.

Sokka smirked at him and god damn it was hot. Zuko had to think about something else quick cause Sokka was still listening to his heart and it was beating so fast it felt like it was trying to escape his chest and enter Sokka’s.

Sokka put away the stethoscope with a frown.

“What is it?” Zuko asked instantly worried.

“Your heart is beating _awfully_ fast. Something must be really wrong.”

His teasing gaze should be illegal, Zuko thought. He couldn’t for the life of him look away. Even if he was feeling embarrassed that the guy could hear his heart racing in his chest.

“Oh fuck you, Sokka,” Zuko grumbled, wanting desperately to use his name and keep this teasing thing going. It was intoxicating.

Sokka gasped dramatically. “Already? I feel like maybe you're moving a bit fast..!” He winked. “…almost as fast as your heartbeat.”

Zuko stuck out his tongue at him. It was childish but good god did this gorgeous asshole ever stop? He felt like it was both the best and worst day of his life simultaneously.

“Oh!” Sokka piped up. “That’s the next one!” He grabbed something else and unpacked a wooden stick. “I need to check your tongue too.. and the rest of your mouth.” He winked again and Zuko was just.. stuck. He just sat there with his mouth open, sticking out his tongue to a guy he was starting to really be into, beyond him being gorgeous. The effects of the saltwater and the fact that he just almost died were wearing off, and he couldn’t help but genuinely fall for the guy.

“Your mouth looks fine,” Sokka stated after a moment. Was he awkward? Zuko thought it almost seemed like he felt a little bit awkward.

Sokka wasn’t quite awkward in an uncomfortable way, but more so in the sense that he had just looked into the guy’s mouth and thought about kissing him instantly. He could barely focus on checking if everything looked okay because his mind was wondering what the inside of his mouth would feel like.

“You got anything else you need to stick into my mouth?” Zuko accidentally said it more flirty than he had meant to and he watched Sokka blink at him with his mouth agape and his cheeks a dark shade of pink on brown. As if he hadn't been flustered enough by his own thoughts yet.

“Christ, Zuko, are you trying to get me fired?” He breathed out a shaky breath.

_Oh, so that actually worked._

“Fired?” He asked innocently. He was nervous, but he'd be damned if he let this gorgeous guy go. He had to at least somewhat be interested in him since he was blushing and flirting back. So he pushed aside his nerves and tried his luck.

Sokka rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you…”

“…you are real?” Zuko finished his sentence falsely. And hopefully. Sokka closed his eyes and chuckled. He wanted to say something, but Zuko interrupted him. “Yeah… I can’t believe you are real either..” His tongue slid past his lips slowly, almost teasingly. Zuko hadn’t even realised he had done it until he noticed Sokka looking at his lips.

It took a moment for either of them to move. Sokka’s gaze locked on his lips, Zuko scanning the lifeguard’s face. Both of them blushing.

“So are you really into guys?” Sokka asked casually, while he tried to find something else in his bag, trying his hardest not to think about the place their conversation just went.

Zuko choked on a breath. Sokka’s warm hands were immediately on him, his face concerned as he checked to see if he was alright. _Shit_.

When he realised what had caused his sudden choking he smirked deviously.

“You know… asking for a friend.” He winked for the fiftieth time that day, but Zuko couldn’t find it in him to be bothered by it.

“Oh really? You think your friend would like me?”

“Yeah, he’s really into idiots who almost drown occasionally. Personally, I don’t see the appeal. I mean look at you…” He dragged his eyes down and back up his body and Zuko shivered at the sight of being checked out by someone as gorgeous as Sokka.

“Tall… dark… handsome… cute… a terrible flirt… a smile that could challenge the sun… eyes so golden it feels like maybe they _are_ the sun…” Oh shit, he got a little carried away there. “I have no idea how, but I really do think my friend could be into you.”

He tried to sound casual saying the last part, to distract him from the fact that he definitely 100% just fell in love with the guy as he was looking at him and listing the things that he noticed first. He probably could’ve gone on for another hour with that list… it was a good thing he found the ability to stop himself.

Zuko leant closer to him, eyes on his, mouth opened, lips shining as he licked them. “What’s his name?”

Sokka swallowed and mistakingly drifted closer to him. Were they alone in the world having this gorgeous moment, or were they on a busy beach being watched by at least half a dozen people, including Sokka’s sister, Katara?

“Zuko…” The lifeguard whispered, trying, but failing, to sound disapproving.

“No that’s my name, you can’t have that one. What’s your friend’s name?” It was a whisper. They were so close they didn’t need more than a whisper.

He made the mistake of blinking because his eyes did not open fully after that. They stayed hooded as he gazed at the gorgeous man in front of him.

“You’re really trying to get me fired, huh?” Sokka uttered nervously.

“I’m trying to get you to kiss me actually.”

Sokka inhaled shakily. “I will get fired.”

“Nobody has to know.”

Sokka closed his eyes in a laugh.

“I won’t tell.” Zuko pleaded.

Sokka searched his face, took in every detail he could see from up close, and then mournfully moved away.

“Fine.” He said as he grabbed a book and wrote something down. He tore it off the page and handed it to Zuko. “Here. If tomorrow, or.. later… when you’ve gotten over your near death experience.. you’re still interested; call me. Or text, if calling is a bit too much.”

Zuko took the piece of paper from him with wide eyes. “Really…?” He blinked at the folded piece and immediately tried to think of a dry and safe place to put it.

“That was my favourite book,” Sokka said as a way of answering that yes, really.

Zuko’s eyes grew wide. “Shit really?! You shouldn’t have don-”

Sokka brushed it off with a wave of his hand. “I know the story. I don’t mind giving away some of it to you.”

“Oh.” Zuko finally got it. Well shit, he was gonna have to marry him now. He smiled so brightly it caught Sokka off guard.

There was that sunshine smile again. The guy had emo hair and something oddly proper about him, apart from the hypnotised flirting… and then there was also something sad about him… maybe from the thing that caused his scar…. but when he smiled… the sun wasn’t as bright. She just wasn’t.

Sokka got up, after finally being able to tear himself away from the guy completely. He reached out his hand and helped Zuko up.

“Are you steady?” He asked, knowing that the guy did really just almost drown, and he wasn’t a total noob. He was actually really good at his job and knew that usually, people are a little weak on their feet after they almost drowned.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Text me.” Sokka whispered. He didn’t mean for it to sound so desperate, but shit he was really into this guy.

Zuko wanted to hug him, but he knew that if anyone saw them Sokka would be in trouble, and so he just smiled.

They said their goodbyes and Zuko walked away reluctantly. Sokka wished he would linger, but he knew he had to get back to his job. He was there to safe lives after all.

Katara walked over the second the young man was far away enough, and immediately started to tease him.

“Katara..! Please stop..!” He whined at his sister.

“You really just fell in love with that guy within 10 minutes, huh?”

All Sokka could do was groan. It wasn’t like she was wrong.

Zuko walked over to his group and got a high five from one of the girls, another patted his shoulder, and the other one of them squealed. He quickly looked back at Sokka, his face red. He wasn’t sure why it embarrassed him that the girls were happy for him, maybe it was because he was the only guy in his group, or maybe it was because he wanted Sokka to think he was cool. Squealing about a cute boy wasn’t at all cool.

Sokka laughed at him from afar, a hand on his heart. Zuko’s chest felt warm. Did he really just accidentally hook a gorgeous guy by almost drowning?

He watched as Sokka got distracted and turned his attention away from Zuko and towards… a little kid.

A little boy ran over to him and loudly called him “Sock!” Sokka crouched down with a big grin on his face. “Bumi!” He called out. The little boy jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. Sokka kissed his head.

Zuko felt his heart sink and then even more so when the lady next to them put a hand on his shoulder with a big smile and then took the child from him. Sokka looked up and saw the sorrow on Zuko’s face and he immediately panicked.

“No!” He yelled at him. “It’s my nephew!”

Zuko couldn’t hear him right over the crowd of people between them and shook his head. It had been fun while it lasted but now left a bitter taste in his mouth. The man was taken and still flirted with him? He gave him his number? That is _not_ okay. He turned away sadly.

As soon as he had turned away Sokka was standing behind him. A hand on his shoulder was trying to get his attention, but he was too out of breath to speak.

“That’s not- he’s not- she’s not- I’m not-” He gasped in a deep breath of oxygen and bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. When he felt like he could breathe normally again he looked back up, feeling dizzy all of a sudden and not from his fast movements or his breathing, but from the warm hand on his side and the concerned gaze that was on him.

“The kid. He’s my nephew. I’m not a- She’s not-” he pointed at Katara. “She’s my sister. The kid is my nephew. I’m not taken. I’m very much single.” He looked him up and down with a blush. “For now…” He shrugged nervously. His gaze not meeting the other guy. “I hope.” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he looked back up.

The scarred guy laughed with so much love Sokka had to take a step back.

Zuko didn’t waste another second. “When do you get off.”

“Excuse me?” Sokka blinked at him, his dark brown skin growing a redder glow by the second.

The girls behind Zuko giggled and he raised his eyebrow with a grin. “I meant from work.”

“Oh.” Sokka breathed out. “I was gonna say we’ll see about that in the future, but this makes more sense.”

Zuko dragged his eyes down that gorgeous body once more. Yeah. He agreed. In the future.

He bit his lip when he looked back up at his eyes. “So?”

“Oh! Uh.. at sunset. When the beach closes.”

Zuko nodded, stepping closer. “Do you eat during your shift?” Sokka shook his head no and Zuko smiled. “Dinner? Tonight?”

Sokka smiled, so relieved and so happy, that it made Zuko feel… a certain way… he couldn’t name what it was but it was _something_. and it was good. _So_ good.

“I’d like that.”

“Okay, tonight. Sunset. I’ll come back.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.” Sokka looked embarrassed the second he realised he had said that. Zuko grinned at him.

He was perfect.


	2. The date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka is head over heels for the guy and can't quite find it in himself to hold that in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a moment to get the hang of some minor coding but here we are; chapter two! I hope you like it <3
> 
> Some minor details: Zuko and Azula have a good relationship, and also I headcanon Azula as taller than Zuko.

Their date was fantastic. Sokka ate so much. _So_ much in fact, that it surprised Zuko that it fit in his stomach. They ate, and they joked, and they laughed, and they flirted. Their legs brushed under the table and their hands brushed above the table and their fingers laced on top of the table. They smiled, and they fed each other, and they shared dessert. It was all just so easy.

They felt so incredibly comfortable around each other. It all just happened naturally. Even for Zuko, who was generally pretty awkward, it just felt so easy. He wasn’t as awkward as he used to be, so that had already been great. But this? This was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He just flirted openly and reached out to touch his hand openly, and it kind of felt like he was a whole new person around this guy. Not in a bad way, but in the sense that he had just become exactly who he had always wanted to be.

They had discussed a couple of personal things, like Sokka’s mother passing, Zuko’s father being a dick, and him not knowing where his mother was. Sokka also gushed about his nephew Bumi and had shown him some photos of them which had led to Zuko thinking about having kids with the guy. He had to shake his head out of that one. Too soon.

The scrolling through photos had caused Sokka to accidentally show him the photo of the blushing Zuko from that afternoon. Though Zuko had already seen it, it still made him blush even more.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I know I should’ve deleted it but… you just look so cute.” Sokka looked at the photo as he spoke. His voice got softer the longer he looked at it. “I hope you don’t mind.” He added breathlessly.

Zuko shook his head. “It’s fine. As long as you promise to look at the real me like that more often.” He smirked shyly.

Sokka blushed and put the phone away. He closed his eyes for a moment and then focussed his full intensity on Zuko, who shivered and subconsciously ran a hand over his scar. Sokka didn’t ask.

They talked about their interests, most of which they shared, and each gushed about an interest they didn’t share. They found out they both trained in sword fighting, and then to both their surprise, found out they were even trained by the same guy. They enthused about so many things so naturally, it felt like they had already known each other for years.

Sokka took a hold of his hand when they walked out of the restaurant and then he pulled him away from the parking lot, to not let the date end just yet. They went for a walk holding hands and smiling and teasing and laughing and goodness it felt perfect.

They both knew things were going a bit fast. They had only just met this morning and Zuko had literally been drowning.. Except Zuko had never felt this way before, and Sokka hadn’t ever felt this way either. His two exes had been fantastic people, but he had been so nervous around them, but with this guy… it just all happened. It was like he didn’t have to put any effort into it.

Perhaps it was because back then he had just been a teen, and now he was trying his best to be an adult. It didn’t really matter though, the past was the past, and though he had loved both of them deeply, things ended peacefully with them both.

Tonight wasn’t about his exes though, today was about Zuko, and good god was the guy cute. He was a little bit nervous, but he talked so easily and he laughed at literally every single one of Sokka’s jokes. Especially the really bad ones. Sokka was absolutely head of heels for the guy. On day one.

When they finally ended up back at their cars again Zuko let go of Sokka’s hands and started to fidget. Was he nervous about how to end the date? To Sokka it was obvious; kiss him, set a new date, and go home.

Zuko, however, was suddenly more nervous than he had ever been around him. So far. What was he going to say? What was he going to do? Would they just part ways now? Should they immediately set up a second date? Could he kiss him? Oh man, how he wanted to kiss him. He wanted it even more now than this morning.

Okay, time to square up and just ask him.

“C-can I kiss you?”

Sokka laughed at him. “I can’t believe you.” He said shaking his head.

Zuko felt hurt. “What? I thought we had a gre- pretty good time.”

Sokka rolled his eyes and stepped closer, taking a hold of his waist with both his hands. “We did have a _great_ time. I’m saying I can’t believe you because I thought the answer was obvious.”

“Something being obvious isn’t enough..! Some people see different things as an obvious signal. What if I thought you were being obvious and ended up being wrong..?! I can’t just kiss you because I _think_ you want it. You have to tell me first.” Zuko said determinedly.

“Oh my god..!” Sokka exclaimed sounding… annoyed…? Well shit.

“What?” Zuko asked, stepping away, thinking this was all a mistake. His back hit his car and he wasn’t sure if he should just get in and drive off, or ask him why he was annoyed all of a sudden. Was he one of those people who think asking before kissing is a turn-off?

Sokka just stepped right over to him. “Wait.” He moved one hand back onto his waist and the other traveled up over his shirt to his shoulder. He stepped even closer than before, his one foot in between Zuko’s and his other close by. His hand slid from this shoulder up into his neck as he leant close to his face.

“This is ridiculous.” He whispered to his lips, eyes locked on his. “I said oh my god because… well, I know it’s only been a day… less than that really… but I am so in love with you. Yes, you can kiss me. Of course, you can kiss me you stupid respectful handsome cutie. I can’t with you..!”

Zuko looked at him from eye to eye, trying to figure out if the guy was playing with him. Joking. Not meaning anything. Outright lying. Something. _Anything_.

Sokka’s face got more serious when he noticed. “You’ve been hurt in the past, huh?” He whispered. He pressed their foreheads together, instead of their lips and just simply gazed at him for a quiet moment.

“I won’t hurt you.” It sounded like a plea. _Please believe I won’t hurt you._ “I understand that everyone who hurt you has probably said that one way or another too…” He realised out loud. “…but I promise I won’t.”

Zuko’s eyes were closed. The guy had seen right through him. He didn’t want the night to end like this. Today had been great and god forbid their date was great too. He was funny and smart and an idiot and gorgeous and handsome and strong and he saved his life and that was really just an added bonus.

This gorgeous, brilliant young man, not only seemed absolutely perfect for him but had also made him feel like _himself_. He hadn’t felt like himself in so long. Not truly. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he did.

After everything that had happened in his life, and people treating him differently because of his scar, and he himself feeling different because his traumas were always on the forefront. This boy just pulled him out of the water and made him feel like maybe he could leave it all behind and just be himself for once. And maybe even forever.

But then he had to go and be a respectful, caring asshole on top of that. He had to go and see right through him and see his traumas before he could decide to tell him himself. He had wanted… hoped so fiercely… that the night would be light and easy and fun and that would be it. He wanted to go home feeling light and happy from a fun date with a gorgeous, ridiculously funny guy.

Except instead he was stood next to his car with the boy seemingly looking into his soul and asking him to open up. He didn’t want to open up. He didn’t want to ruin it all by being honest about his past and what that has turned him into.

“Hey…” Sokka whispered softly, trying to bring him back to the physical realm. “Hey Zuko…” He tried again. He moved his one hand from his waist to his chest to rest on his heart. Finally, Zuko awakened out of his panicked state. Sokka smiled warmly.

“I’m free tomorrow. Maybe we could hang out? No pressure. We could… I don’t know watch a movie, maybe play some games… cuddle? Maybe? I don’t know just throwing it out there.”

Zuko closed his eyes with a smile. Thank _all_ that is good for this guy.

“I’d like that.”

“I’m sorry I brought it up.” The look in his eyes was so sad it hurt.

“Don’t be… I shouldn’t have panicked…”

“Hey..!” Sokka was so bloody gentle. “Don’t go there.” He brushed a strand of hair out of his face and let his hand caress down his jaw. “We’re still figuring things out. Boundaries.. Insecurities.. all that… We’re on day one. We’ll get there. If you want.”

Zuko couldn’t help it when he closed his eyes again. A smile on his lips, but somehow he looked hurt still.

“I’d very much still like to kiss you,” Sokka said to take his mind off the heavy subject. They’d get to that later. “If you want… It’s okay if you don’t. I could always ask again tomorrow.”

To this Zuko laughed. “I’ll remind you that I’m the one who asked.” Sokka beamed at him, and so Zuko continued. “So, you might be the one asking tomorrow, but I’m still asking today.” He stated matter of factly.

Sokka laughed at him and held him close. “You’re right. You did ask. But you were also right a moment ago. I can’t just assume that’s what you want. Something might’ve changed.”

“Oh yeah.. Something _has_ changed.” He leant closer. “I want to kiss you even more now.” It was a big change in the mood between the two, but the way Sokka seemed to care about him had really just made him want to kiss him even more. It was just simply the truth.

Finally, _finally_ , Sokka closed the gap between them. Soft, warm lips were pressing against each other. Arms sliding around each other to hold on tight. Sokka let out a soft moan when Zuko deepened the kiss. He couldn’t help himself; he felt so right. He’d never kissed anyone that felt so _right_. And he had kissed some great people.

Zuko felt like he was on fire. The electricity between them was intoxicating and he never wanted to let go.

It lasted a couple of minutes longer before both pulled away to breathe.

Zuko pulled an uncomfortable face. “Oh good god, I am dizzy…” He groaned.

Sokka smirked at him. He was fine. Zuko peaked at him and then playfully hit him in the chest. “How are you not out of breath?”

“I’m a lifeguard.” He leant back in, almost kissing him again. “I need to have enough air for two.”

Zuko’s hands moved up into his glorious hair and pulled him back in. He couldn’t kiss him for long, still out of breath, but every second more was a payment he couldn’t refuse. He groaned in frustration.

“So tomorrow, huh?” He breathed to his mouth. His breath smelled like chocolate. “Your place or mine?”

Sokka was so happy he couldn’t help but lean in again. A quick press of lips against a smile. It wasn’t much, but at the same time, it was everything.

“I live with my sister so…” He admitted when he realised he had a question to answer.

“So do I,” Zuko admitted.

“Oh. Well shit.”

“She won’t be home tomorrow.” Zuko quickly added in.

“Oh, well your place then.” He kissed him softly. “Unless you want to hang out with my sister and brother in law and nephew all day?” His tone was teasing. He already knew the answer.

“In the future.. I’d love to meet the kid who calls you Sock.” He chuckled as Sokka rolled his eyes, a blush staining his cheeks once more. “…but I think tomorrow… I’d like to kiss you again.”

“You could kiss me more right now.”

“I could also kiss you more tomorrow… but if you’re okay with it… I’d like to do both.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

“ _I’m_ ridiculous?! You ran across the beach to tell me you were single..! You tore a piece out of your favourite book for me!”

Sokka took in every inch of his face and ended his search at his lips. “So I did.” He shrugged. “..but were either of those things bad? Things I shouldn’t have done?”

“No, but they _were_ ridiculous.” Zuko countered with a big smile on his lips.

Sokka stared at those lips, but didn’t move back in. “Is it ridiculous that I want you to take me to your home right now? That I want to hold you in my arms as we sleep?”

“My sister will be there,” Zuko replied, ignoring the fact that he now had butterflies _everywhere_ because of those words.

Sokka frowned. “And mine will be at my place…” He sighed. “I just want to stay with you like this.. I just want to keep looking at you.”

Zuko grinned at him but blushed furiously too. Oh man, the way this boy made him feel… He was probably going to wake up from his dream soon. Or maybe he had actually drowned and gone to heaven. Or maybe he was in a coma and his brain was making this up to cope. Whatever it was, it seemed real in the moment, and so he pushed on. He _really_ liked this guy, so if this was real, he’d better try his best.

“As much as I’d rather keep looking at you all night too… If you go to bed as soon as you’re home you could just see me again first thing in the morning. Or I guess I should say third thing… First your place, then the inside of your eyelids, and then me.”

Sokka smirked at him. “What? You’re saying I won’t even be able to look at you before you kiss me?”

“Yes.”

Sokka thought for a moment. “Okay. I don’t mind that. At all.”

Zuko rolled his eyes fondly. “See? Ridiculous.”

“Hey you were _drowning in my eyes_ after you almost drowned for real, don’t pretend you’re normal.”

“Never said I was. I think that’s why we work so well.”

“I am _so_ in love with you,” Sokka whispered for the second time that night.

“Yeah, you said that.” He kissed him quickly, feeling slightly awkward because he felt the bloody same already. “I’ll text you the address.”

Sokka pulled him in for another kiss, lingering for as long as he could before Zuko had to breathe again. “You can’t just leave without a good night kiss.” He sounded like he was pleading.

“Who said I was?” Zuko returned quickly. He loved how light he was feeling again.

Sokka smiled with so much love in his eyes, Zuko had to look away. He was about to say it again, but Zuko caught him and pressed a finger to his lips.

“Shush.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

Sokka shrugged. “Well, maybe I just feel more than you.”

“Oh no, don’t even go there. I feel the same way, but I can’t just say that on day one..!” Zuko’s face was pained. For a moment he didn’t realise he had just indirectly said it anyway.

Sokka smiled and pulled him into the last lingering kiss of the night.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Text me when you wake up?”

“I wake at sunrise so… 6?

“Oof, I’ll have to set an alarm..!”

Zuko’s chest was on fire. What a man. “Don’t be ridiculous. You take all the time you need. We’ll see when you’re ready to come over.”

They kiss one last time, but it’s quick and short. Zuko was very tired, he really needed his sleep. Turns out almost drowning apparently takes quite a toll on your body.

“Text me when you’re home safe.”

“You too.”

He got in his car and drove home, and when he got there he grabbed the piece of paper to put the number in his phone. He smiled at it with tears in his eyes.

**_You’re very cute._ **

**_1nn 1234 4567_ **

**_Xx Sokka_ **

He was the one. It had only been a day but damn it Zuko knew it for sure.

He walked into his apartment with a smile, Azula was already asleep. He thought. He texted Sokka that he was home safe and went to brush his teeth.

When he walked back into his room his phone buzzed. He immediately checked it, with butterflies in his stomach.

> **12:32am** I’m home too. Sleep well. ❤️❤️❤️ 

Zuko was so busy staring at the message that he didn’t even hear the door to his bedroom open.

“How was it?” Azula asked, rubbing a hand in her eye. Zuko beamed at her. His sister stepped over, a hand on his back, and looked at his phone screen.

“Ah, hearts. I’m gonna guess it went well?”

“He’s perfect,” Zuko admitted, his mind drifting back to earlier that night.

Azula kissed his temple and backed off. “Tell me all about it in the morning.”

Zuko nodded at her and his sister left to go back to bed.

He stared at Sokka’s note as he laid in bed. Cute huh? Well, he was cute too. And gorgeous. And smart. And ridiculously funny. And his eyes..! Oh god, those eyes..!

He couldn’t wait to drown in those eyes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter will be up tomorrow <3


	3. Day two and... all the days after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka comes by Zuko's place to "not have a date but just hang out" and they have a tender loving time. They flirt, they're vulnerable, and then they flirt some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof so this chapter is a bit longer than planned, but oh well I'm happy with the way it turned out. I hope you are too <3

“So how did it go?” Katara asked even before Sokka had closed the door behind him.

“Oh god,” Sokka said surprised. “A hello first would’ve been nice.”

Katara shrugged and sat down on the couch with a cup of tea. Sokka raised an eyebrow at her. She leant her head against the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling with a sigh.

“He’s refusing to sleep. Aang is with him now, but he needs to work in the morning so it’s my turn tonight.”

“I’ll go see him and make sure he’s asleep.”

“Thanks, Sokka.” She sat up again. “But first things first; did you kiss him?”

“Yes.” Sokka laughed.

Katara squealed and spilled some of her tea in her excitement. She ignored the burning.

The door to Bumi’s bedroom opened and Aang stuck his head out to groan at her. “Katara…! I just got him to sleep..!”

“Sorry..!” She pulled a face at her brother who laughed at her and shook his head. He quickly made his way over to Bumi’s bedroom and told Aang he’d take over.

He scooped Bumi up in his arms and stood in front of the window. He opened the blinds a little bit and looked outside with him. With him, on his one arm, he bounced him just slightly as he quietly told him all sorts of things about that stars and the moon.

He even softly sang a song to him as he was falling asleep and then when he laid him down in bed he stayed with him for a little bit longer. He repeated the song once and caressed his hair and face as he did so and then when he was certain he was asleep and would stay that way, he pressed a soft kiss to his head and left.

He went back to Katara and told her to go sleep, but she demanded to hear more about his date.

Bumi slept the whole night.

——————————

Sokka woke up at 6 am too. Not on purpose, mind you, he just simply woke up. When he saw the beautiful morning light he decided to stay up. Zuko texted him the address when he woke up, then went and made breakfast. He didn’t expect his phone to go off just a couple minutes later.

> **Sokka 6:08 am:** Good morning sunshine!
> 
> **Zuko 6:08 am:** Morning. Why are you up?
> 
> **Sokka 6:08 am:** I don’t know
> 
> **Zuko 6:10 am:** Tell me you didn’t set an alarm.
> 
> **Sokka 6:11 am:** I didn’t!

Zuko didn’t know how to reply. He wasn’t sure if Sokka was being sarcastic or not. He’d have to ask him again when he saw him later, his eyes would give him away. The eyes he was going to drown in again. Oh, how he wanted to drown in them again. preferably sooner rather than later.

At that moment Azula walked in and distracted Zuko from his crush. They had breakfast together and she asked how the date went. Zuko awkwardly told her how they shared desert, “Gross.” and held hands “Grosser.” and that they kissed “Disgusting.”

Zuko smiled at her. Their relationship was odd. She had hurt him a lot in the past but, only because of their abusive father. When they ran away together he had to learn to forgive her for the pain she had caused him. It took a lot of therapy on both sides. They’d go to sessions together sometimes and had both their therapists sitting there to help.

It had been a lot of years since they ran away together. A lot of years in therapy. A lot of years trying to act like they were now normal, functioning adults. They did truly care for each other, but things like this were hard for Zuko. She had said terrible things to him because of his sexuality, amongst other things, and though he knew that those were just words their father had put in her head, the memory was still of her voice saying them.

She knew he was thinking about the hurt she had inflicted. She put her hand on his arm, her expression was pained. “I’m happy for you, Zuko. Truly.”

He smiled at her, a knot still in his stomach. “Thanks.”

Azula left to put on her make-up for work, she knew there was nothing she could say that would undo the pain she had caused. There was no use in trying anymore. She had done her fair share of trying to apologise for years until Zuko, in tears, told her to stop.

“Let’s just move on… please…” He had begged her.

In that moment she finally understood that her apologies kept reminding him of the past, instead of helping him towards a better future. She knew now that words only go so far, it was her behaviour that had to change. And so she did her best to treat him better, to really show him that she was happy for him, to read up on everything…

As she had read up on lgbt+ information she had come to realise that she wasn’t exactly straight herself either. She hadn’t really figured out her label yet, but she knew she liked girls.

When she told Zuko, she had thought that he would be angry. That he would feel betrayed for having to suffer from her homophobia and then having to be kind to her about the same thing when it was the other way around. Except he had been so incredibly kind that it hurt. He gave her all the love and support he had needed when he was 13, and she hadn’t been capable of it. She hadn’t been enough.

Zuko opened the door to the bathroom with a look on his face that showed he knew exactly what she was thinking about.

“I thought we had decided we wouldn’t go down that road anymore?” He asked calmly, leaning against the doorframe.

She looked at him through the mirror. She had no idea what to say, but her eyes were so apologetic Zuko had to look away.

“The past is the past. We focus on our future now.”

She turned around and wordlessly hugged her brother. “I don’t deserve you.” She finally mumbled when he couldn’t see her face.

He pushed her away a little too forcefully. This subject brought back a layer or two of his old anger. He sighed to calm himself, and then looked her in the eye. “Yes, you do. You have redeemed yourself.”

Azula tried to swallow away the lump in her throat and looked up at the ceiling to not ruin her freshly put on mascara.

“If you say something offensive and someone calls you out on it, do you think your whole life is over? Do you think you’ll never be able to be a good person ever again? Because of one mistake?”

She shook her head.

“Exactly. Now go finish your make-up. Sokka will be here soon.”

To this, she looked down and grinned, her mood shifting. _Finally_. Zuko thought for a moment.

“You didn’t tell me he was coming over.” Her tone was teasing. “So you had _that_ much fun on your date, huh?”

“Aza..! For the love of all that is good, we met yesterday, I’m not fucking him yet.”

Azula just shrugged. “Touché.”

Zuko left her alone after that, not wanting to have _that_ conversation, and went to go check his phone.

> **Sokka 6:47 am:** I watched the sunrise and thought of you.🌅💛
> 
> **Zuko 7:14 am:** Oh god. Are you a hopeless romantic?

He sat on the couch with his eyes closed and the biggest smile on his face. Goodness, the guy was cute. Less than a minute later his phone went off.

> **Sokka 7:16 am:** I like to think of myself as a hope/ful/ romantic 😉
> 
> **Zuko 7:18 am:** 🙄 I can’t believe I’m in love with you 🙄

He leant his head back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. His cheeks were hurting a little bit from how big he was smiling. He could not believe that a guy as cute and gorgeous as Sokka could actually like him. His phone buzzed again.

> **Sokka 7:20 am:** I’m glad you are 🥰😘
> 
> **Sokka 7:21 am:** Can I come over yet, or are you still making the place presentable?

He looked around. The house was always presentable. Two people with messy heads lived there, they had to keep it neat or they would both lose it.

> **Zuko 7:24 am:** How long will you take to get here?
> 
> **Sokka 7:26 am:** 20 minutes?
> 
> **Zuko 7:30 am:** If you leave in 10, I’ll be ready when you arrive.
> 
> **Sokka 7:31 am:** I’m sure you look handsome as you are right now.

Zuko smiled and clutched his heart. What a cutie. Then he remembered what he actually looked like and he decided to send a selfie. He was wearing the big Star Wars shirt that he had slept in and he still had a terrible bedhead. It took him several attempts to be happy with a selfie in which he actually smiled, but eventually, he sent one.

> **Zuko 7:38 am:** Are you sure about that? *insert picture*

The young lifeguard clutched his heart at the selfie that showed up on his screen. The bedhead was so extreme it made him want to comb it down with his hands.. and then maybe never take his hands out of it again.

> **Sokka 7:40 am:** Did you just spend the past 7 minutes taking that selfie?
> 
> **Zuko 7:43 am:** Nooooo?
> 
> **Sokka 7:43 am:** You’re so cute 😘

Zuko wasn’t sure how to respond to that, and so he let it be and quickly moved to get dressed and put on deodorant, and try with all his might to get his hair under control.

Sokka showed up on his doorstep at 8:15 am with his eyes closed. Zuko laughed warmly at him. Sokka still did not open his eyes.

“I thought you were gonna kiss me immediately.”

Zuko pulled him in by his waist but waited in front of his lips.

“Are you waiting for me to say it?” Sokka asked sounding amused.

He wasn’t, he was just waiting to see if Sokka would open his eyes if he waited too long.

Sokka took the silence as an answer and rolled his eyes behind his eyelids. “Please kiss me, you respectful bloody idiot.”

Zuko laughed at him and kissed him slowly.

Except then he remembered Azula hadn’t left yet and he backed off. Sokka pulled a disappointed face.

“My sister hasn’t left yet.”

Sokka’s gaze moved a couple of inches to the left and found a lady smirking at the two of them.

“Ah, the one who high-fived you.”

Zuko turned around with wide eyes, just to see his sister smirking at him.

“Don’t you dare say a word.” He threatened her with a single finger.

“What?” She responded innocently. “I wasn’t even saying anything. But if I was…” She teased. “I’d just tell you you look happy.” She wasn’t about to tease him badly in front of this guy he had feelings for. Not yet at least.

Zuko blinked at her. Oh. He had not been expecting that. He had been _feeling_ it, but he hadn’t realised it showed that much. Or perhaps it was obvious because he hadn’t been happy in years.

Sokka observed the two of them. They were certainly having some kind of moment. With the way they were looking at each other, both their faces kind of sad. He knew there was something deeply personal they were both thinking about.

All she had said was that he looked happy, but the look in her eyes had been full of sorrow. Had the guy really not been happy much at all?

Zuko shook his head, smiled, and thanked his sister. When he turned back to Sokka his face was pensive. He knew he had taken a moment too long to respond to his sister. Part of him didn’t want to face the negative expression Sokka was undoubtedly giving him, but then he looked up and all his worries faded away. The look Sokka was giving him was one of understanding.

He mindlessly drifted closer to him, and Sokka just simply opened his arms and welcomed him in.

“Sorry, I got lost in my head for a moment there.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sokka said as he gazed at him and brushed some hair out of his face. He wanted to kiss him again.

“I’m Azula, by the way.” She said with a small wave, interrupting their moment.

“Oh right. Sorry. That’s my baby sister Azula.”

Sokka waved back, feeling a little bit awkward. Zuko pulled Sokka further into the apartment and closed the door behind him.

“Do you want a drink?”

“Alcohol? Zuko, already? I didn’t know you had alcohol issues. Love at first sight gone wrong..!”

“Oh shut up, you.” Zuko shoved him a little bit, playfully.

“Or else?” Sokka pulled him closer again. One arm lazily hanging over his shoulder, the other still holding on.

“Or else the only thing you’re getting to drink is the saltwater I coughed up out of my lungs last night.”

Sokka pulled a disturbed face. “Oh god, are you alright? Was I too caught up in your _cute flirting_ to notice something was wrong with your lungs?” He suddenly remembered he had listened to his heart but not his lungs. Shit.

Zuko blinked at him for a moment, heat rising to his cheeks. Azula was undoubtedly going to tease him about his flirting later that day.

“ _That’s_ what you’re worried about?”

“I’m a lifeguard what else do you want me to worry about?”

“The fact that I’m offering you salty lung water? Don’t you think it’s disgusting?”

Sokka shrugged. “Nah.”

Zuko pulled a grossed out face at him. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll start hallucinating?”

Sokka was smirking again in an instant. “Oh right, if I drink that then I will definitely get _lost in your eyes_ like you were _drowning_ in mine yesterday.” The way he looked at him was incredibly attractive, and the only reason Zuko wasn’t kissing him into the wall right now, was because he heard his sister snort at the comment. He was not kissing him in front of her.

Instead, he just teased him right back.

“Excuse me, you said my eyes are _as golden as the sun_.”

Sokka pulled him closer. He didn’t mind kissing him in front of his sister. He knew she was cool with the two of them. He knew from the high five yesterday, and he especially knew from the way she had tears in his eyes and a happy smile on her lips as she looked at the two of them right now.

“Actually.” He hung his other arm loosely around his neck as well. “I said your eyes _are_ the sun.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Oh right, and that’s any better?”

“Oh no, I think both are good.. both are true even.”

Zuko blushed heavily and tried to roll his eyes, but he was too distracted by the sight of Sokka moving in.

“Can I?” He asked softly.

“My sister…”

“…can close her eyes,” Sokka said without missing a beat. “…or walk away. Or watch and keep her mouth shut.” He was still moving in closer, but he had slowed down his pace.

“I’m closing my eyes,” Azula said with both amusement and annoyance in her tone. An art, Zuko thought, only she could do.

Sokka checked, she was indeed closing her eyes. He moved back to Zuko and gave him a small nod, and let him move in to connect their lips.

The moment Azula heard the kissing sound she opened her eyes and looked at the two of them. It was odd to see your big brother kiss, but she genuinely hadn’t seen him this happy in so long. Just like Zuko, she couldn’t remember the last time either.

The kiss is short. Zuko knew his sister well, he knew she’d be watching by now, and so he backed away.

“So, how about that drink?” He asked with an embarrassed smile.

“Oh, I’m looking at a tall glass of water right now.” Sokka bit his lip as he looked him up and down.

“Oh my god, you are insufferable. Do you want a drink or not?” Zuko’s tone was amused and full of love. Sokka couldn’t help himself when he pecked his lips once more.

“Yes, please.”

Zuko moved over to the fridge to get him something to drink, and Azula instantly moved in to pull Sokka to the couch and lecture him.

“Aza..!” Zuko whined at her from the kitchen.

Sokka laughed and waved him off. “I have a sister too, I can handle this one.”

She laughed and let the subject be for a moment. She’d lecture him when Zuko couldn’t hear them.

Instead, Sokka asked Azula what nickname she used to call Zuko. After hearing Zuko call her Aza he was suddenly very curious to hear Zuko’s nickname. He hoped it was something cute he could start using too.

Zuko instantly panicked. He froze, his eyes wide.

“No.” He said so loudly it startled Sokka. It did not startle his sister. “You will _not_ tell him,” Zuko said sternly, before walking away to calm himself down. He didn’t want Sokka to see him like this.

“Is the nickname that bad?” Sokka asked quietly, a little dumbfounded.

“The memory is,” Azula admitted. She waited till Zuko closed the door to the balcony before she turned to the other boy.

She looked at Sokka with a searching gaze. “Will you love him with all your heart?”

Sokka blinked at her with a blush. “Yes.” He quietly admitted.

“Will you ever hurt him?” “Never.” He answered immediately, but then he slumped a little. “I hope…”

“Will you support him no matter what?”

“I mean, I’d say there are some exceptions.. like murder.. or I don’t know kidnapping… but yes, aside from the extremes, yes of course I will.”

Azula nodded, content with the answers. “Has he told you about our father?”

“No.” Sokka whispered. Zuko hadn’t told him any details but he knew something was wrong. “He only said he was a dick…. He hurt him didn’t he?”

Azula looked down. “It’s up to Zuko to tell you these things… If he wants to… but I can say that the nickname I used to call him brings back terrible memories. If he ever heard you say it.. I don’t know if he could forgive you.”

Sokka nodded. It felt hard to breathe for a moment. What had happened to this guy… He knew about the scar but that couldn’t have been… no not his own family… right..?

“All I can tell you is… I used to be a bitch. Our father…. I know this is going to sound like a stupid excuse but our father made sure I was… He tried to make Zuko into a tiny version of himself too, but Zuko resisted. That’s why our father raised me to be a bitch. To Zuko, especially.” She swallowed heavily.

“Zuko decided to forgive me… why I still don’t know… but there’s… there’s still days where it’s hard for him to look at me…” She sniffled and Sokka wanted to comfort her but Azula brushed him off.

“I only used his nickname when I was being mean to him. So I don’t use it anymore… and you shouldn’t ever either.”

With that Azula patted his leg and got up. “Be good to him.”

Sokka nodded earnestly. “Yes, of course.”

She walked over to the balcony door and carefully opened it. “Hey bro? I have to go now.”

She knew not to use his name in these situations. Zuko was just one syllable away from the wrong word. She knew that if she said it he would only hear the Zu and his brain would fill in the rest in spite of her not saying that.

Zuko came back into the apartment. Azula took his face between her two hands and pressed his cheeks together, making a fish face. She did it in silence until Zuko broke and rolled his eyes with a quiet laugh.

“Text me if I need to kick his ass.” She said firmly.

“Hey..!” Sokka exclaimed from the couch. “Didn’t I just tell you I won’t hurt him!”

“Azula..!” Zuko groaned. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing!” She said with an innocent smile as she let go of her brother’s face. “Yet.” She smirked at Sokka as she walked passed.

She turned back to Zuko. “I’ll be home for dinner, do I bring home food for three or will you two be canoodling in some restaurant?”

“Aza, he just got here..! Maybe he’ll want to run away after an hour..! We don’t know yet..!”

Sokka just rolled his eyes but decided to stay quiet. Part of him was scared that Zuko was going to tell him all about his childhood traumas in great detail, and that he would go home before dinner just from having to process so much he would need a 72-hour nap.

“I’ll text you the answer later.”

She left before either of them could say anything else.

“Sorry I walked away on you. I just had to.. calm down for a bit.”

Sokka stood up and walked over to him slowly. He reached out his hands and Zuko took them. “Don’t worry about it.” He whispered.

They gazed at each other for a quiet moment.

“We’re alone you know.” He said as he started to pull him closer.

Zuko let himself get pulled in towards his lips, and then when they met they let go of each other’s hands to wrap their fingers around something else.

They kissed until Zuko was out of breath again. He groaned softly. Sokka cupped his cheeks in both his hands and smiled at him. The look in his eyes was so damn loving Zuko started to crumble.

“What did she tell you?” He asked reluctantly.

“She said she used to be a bitch. She said your father made her be that way.”

Oddly enough, that made Zuko smile.

“I… Can I ask why you’re smiling?” Sokka tried carefully.

Zuko pulled him to the couch and sat him down. He faced him, one leg pulled up on the couch.

“She used to blame herself. For what our father did to us. Her telling a new person it was our father’s fault is a step in the right direction.”

He looked down and started playing with Sokka’s fingers. He could tell that Sokka was nervous. He was tense and his gaze was uncertain.

“Don’t worry,” Zuko whispered. “I won’t bombard you with my whole life story.”

Sokka tried not to visibly relax at that, but Zuko still noticed it. He didn’t mention it to him. Instead, he tried to think of how to tell him things without _really_ telling him things.

“You can tell me a part of it. If you want.”

“I guess, all you need to know, for now, is that our father was well… he was a dick. To our mom, to us, to everyone. He tried to teach us to be like that too, but I refused and that made things worse, and therefor Azula didn’t dare to refuse… She knew what he would do if she followed me.” He swallowed. Yeah, he definitely just told him too much still.

“So.. I don’t know things are a little bit weird between us sometimes. I basically forced her to run away with me when I was 16 and had enough. She was 24 at the time. We moved in with our uncle, went into therapy… life went on.” He shrugged.

“So I basically kidnapped my sister when I was younger, I hope you don’t mind.” He shot him a sheepish smile and Sokka laughed softly.

“Oof. I don’t know… I did just tell your sister I wouldn’t agree if you kidnapped anyone….” He pulled a thoughtful face. “…but I guess I could make an exception.” He pulled him in by his neck and pressed a small kiss to his lips. “Only because you’re cute.”

Zuko let go of a relieved laugh. “Oh my god, you’re perfect.” He said in a breath as he laughed.

Sokka froze for a moment.

“So, you do feel that way!”

“Wha- no.. well I- I mean… Well, I did say so yesterday.” He blushed deeply.

Sokka kissed him a little harsher this time.

“Don’t worry about your past. We’re here for the present and the future.”

Zuko looked at him, switching from eye to eyes, trying to figure out if he was hallucinating or dreaming or something.

“I…” He let go of a shaky breath. “I can’t believe you’re real.”

“Yeah… I can’t believe you’re real either.” Sokka tried to make it sound like he was quoting Zuko’s flirty joke from the day before, but instead, it just came out sounding truthful.

They end up kissing desperately for the first time. Like they had both been waiting for this for years. Both of them had spent years searching for someone, and now that they had found each other, they were going for it and fast. They couldn’t hesitate and miss their moment.

When they backed away they did their best to get back into the flirty moods they had the day before.

They flirted and joked and laughed and the hours passed without either of them noticing. They played some games, which led to Sokka showing off just how competitive he was, and for Zuko to have fun distracting him with kisses and touches and jokes so bad he _had_ to look up at him.

They made lunch together, turned on the tv just to find a documentary about a national park that looked beautiful, they sat down and ate their lunch, and when they were done Sokka wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close and Zuko snuggled closer. They watched two episodes cuddled up like that, barely moving at all except to look at each other.

Sokka joked about taking Zuko there, and them driving around in a shitty RV so they could stay up late and watch the sunset together and they’d take shitty candid photos of each other. Zuko found himself wishing they could do that. He even found himself thinking he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this guy. He was romantic and kind and funny and ridiculous. He was everything he was into and more.

“I like your braid. You didn’t have it braided yesterday right?” Zuko said when they finally moved away from each other to stretch.

“Nah, no time for that on workdays.” Sokka stood up and stretched out his arms as far up as he could. He watched Zuko’s face as he knew his skin was showing. Even though Zuko had seen him completely shirtless the day before, seeing a part of him naked was somehow better. It distracted him from his thoughts.

“I wish… I wish uhhh..I could… could uhh… braid my own hair.” He licked his lips and then shook his head.

Sokka shrugged as if he hadn’t been distracting him on purpose. “Oh, I didn’t do this myself. Katara did it. My sister. Last night I helped out with Bumi. The kid. He refused to sleep. Katara likes to braid and… I like how it looks on me. So it was her way of repaying me.” He rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward laugh. He wasn’t sure why he felt embarrassed about liking his hair braided.

Luckily Zuko just motioned for him to come closer and then ran a finger along the braid with a loving gaze and whispered. “Yeah.. I like it too.”

“Are you drowning again?” Sokka teased because if he didn’t tease he was scared of what he would do. Like, kissing the living daylights out of this guy.

Zuko blushed. “Perhaps.” He scanned his face. “Although I wasn’t actually looking into your eyes.” He pulled Sokka back onto the couch and repositioned himself to be able to really look into his eyes. Sokka decided that he didn’t mind spending some time looking back into his golden suns.

They sat there for several minutes, until Sokka had finally worked up the courage to ask. “Do you see… nothing.. through this one?” He asked carefully, cupping the cheek of his scar.

Zuko nodded slowly. “Nothing at all.”

 _Here is comes…_ Zuko thought. It was inevitable. The scar took up 40% of his face, he was bound to ask about it at some point.

“Is that what happened yesterday? You didn’t see the wave that hit you?” He tried to sound as calm and caring and loving as he could to make sure Zuko knew he had the absolute best intentions.

 _Oh_.

That was not the question he was expecting. That was a nice feeling. He nodded shyly. “Yeah.. someone-”

“You don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.” Sokka quickly said before Zuko could say things he would regret.

Zuko smiled fondly. “You’re cute.” He wanted to make Sokka flustered, but instead, he ended up blushing more than the other man.

“Someone distracted me.” He said when he had regained his composure. “People were screaming and I thought something was happening so I turned to check and I didn’t see the wave and…” His heart raced at the memory. He had genuinely thought he was going to die when the waves kept pushing him under.

Sokka caressed his thumb over the cheek he was still holding and Zuko opened his eyes, being pulled away from the panic in his memories.

“And then you came.” He smiled thankfully, both for the day before and at that moment.

Sokka moved in his other hand to run his fingers through his hair, because he just really, really wanted to.

“Can I braid your hair?”

“Can you kiss me first?” Zuko uttered, his eyes half-closed from the way Sokka’s hands made him feel.

Sokka felt like he was going to explode from how much love he felt for the guy. He moved closer, keeping his hands in his hair and on his cheek as he pulled him in a little bit. “Yeah, I can do that.” He whispered to his lips.

Sokka’s kiss was soft. They laid down a little bit, just because they could. The kiss was soft and slow and gentle and deep, and after a moment Zuko had to break it off because he felt like he was falling apart. His expression was so worried Sokka instantly frowned with him.

“Not good?” He asked uncertainly.

“Too good?” Zuko questioned more than said. He felt sheepish. It was so obvious he hadn’t been with anyone in so long. He could barely believe it himself.

Sokka decided to plop down on Zuko’s chest and wrap his arms around his neck. He could see the guy was thinking and it didn’t seem to be about fun things.

“Too good is fine. At least then I know I have to stop for good reasons, and not because I’m a terrible kisser.”

The older guy moved his legs underneath him to make it more comfortable and wrapped his arms around him. “It’s not that you’re a bad kisser per-say… it’s just that… I think you need to practice more. _Much_ more.” He teased.

Sokka looked up from his chest with a surprised grin. “I love you.”

“Stop that..!” Zuko whined.

“Why? I’m feeling it. Why can’t I say it?”

“Because..! It’s day two..!”

Sokka scanned his face. “Does it scare you?”

Instead of answering with a simple yes or no, Zuko launched into a rambling reply. “What if we don’t last? What if a couple of weeks from now I decide I don’t like you anymore? It’s highly unlikely… honestly, I _don’t_ see that happening.. like at all… but something might change..! What if I say I love you now and then a week from now you decide that you know what, it’s too much baggage, good day.”

Sokka sat up and pulled Zuko closer to him. He pressed their foreheads together as he held onto both his cheeks. “You think I’m gonna take one look at your baggage and say that’s too much? I’m in therapy so.. there’s that. You’re not the only one of us with baggage.” He asserted his eyes away for a moment.

“I like to tell people I love them every time I feel it, because I don’t ever want someone I love to so much as doubt if I ever loved them.”

He caressed his cheek and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I think we have that in common.”

Zuko frowned at that. Did they? He never said those words. Not to anyone.

Sokka rubbed their noses together gently. “I never.. Well, for a long time I didn’t hear anyone say those words to me. All I know is that my mother used to say it to me, but…” He swallowed dryly. “…I don’t remember that… and well, my dad was never around, he worked so much we barely ever saw him, and my sister… I know that she does, she just never said it. So now I tell everyone that I love them, so they don’t have to feel the way I did. I think that’s why it freaks you out so much. You’ve barely ever heard those words either, have you?”

Zuko stared at him with tears in his eyes. It hurt so much. “You see right through me.”

Sokka could see that he truly feared that, and it felt like every muscle in his chest tightened. He moved one hand from his cheek and ran his fingers through his hair. “No, Zuko. I just see you. We’re similar people, you and I… I think that I just.. recognise myself in you.”

He tilted his head but waited. “Can I kiss you?”

Zuko faintly nodded against his head.

“I need you to say it.” Sokka pressed on.

Zuko chuckled nervously. “Yes, you can kiss me.”

Sokka kissed him softly once more. He made sure to pour his love into it, but still made sure that Zuko wouldn’t fall apart from his tenderness. They’d build up to that.

He backed off not too many seconds later. “I promise I’ll hold it in for a while now.”

Zuko smiled at him, his eyebrow raised high. “How long is a while? 30 minutes?”

Sokka just kissed him. If he couldn’t say I love you, then he might as well kiss him.

“Not even 30 seconds, huh?” Zuko teased. Goodness, the mood swings were a bit much. Was that normal? Did he have those with Mai? He couldn’t remember, but then again he was quite distracted.

“Look. I jus- I want- I feel…” Sokka sighed and tried to clear his head. Zuko was biting his lip as he watched him. “You don’t have to agree with me, but I want to let you in on my mindset.” Zuko nodded at him, moving closer just because he wanted to.

“The way I see it, is that there is no way to change the past. It might be bad but… It has led us all the way here, to this.” He took a hold of one of Zuko’s hands and breathed a kiss onto it.

“I like to tell my thoughts the moment I think them, if they’re good of course, because I don’t want that moment to become a bad memory in the future. I can make right now bad for future us, just by not saying certain things. I could create a regret that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. Or… I could just be brave for a moment and tell you how I feel. The risks are that you might not feel the same, and on day two that is fine, and if you still don’t feel the same a few weeks from now then that’s sad, but also fine. It might hurt… but it’s not the end of everything. We will mourn the loss and we will learn to cope and move on.”

Zuko was gazing at him, full of love.

“I think…” Sokka continued. “Especially judging by the look you’re giving me right now, that you agree with me on that.”

Zuko nodded.

“I say a similar thing to Azula when she gets sad about the past. We can’t change the past, all we can change is the future, by deciding how to act right now.”

Sokka smiled with tears in his eyes. “That’s beautiful.”

Zuko shook his head. “You’re beautiful.”

Sokka laughed, feeling lighter than before. Zuko leant in and kissed him. Sokka gasped.

“You didn’t ask first.”

Zuko rolled his eyes with a smile and a blush. “Did I have to?”

Sokka shook his head and pulled him back in. “Definitely not.”

They kiss softly for a long time. and after that, they just held each other tightly. Neither of them could believe how they got so lucky. Sokka kinda hated that he felt lucky for Zuko almost drowning, he would’ve preferred to meet him in a safer way, but then he’d have to remind himself of what they had just talked about. You can’t change the past. This is how it happened.

Zuko just thought it was insane and kind of stupid that he had to almost drown to meet him, but at the same time he was thankful because it had given him the push to flirt with the guy whereas he wouldn’t have dared to flirt if they had met in a normal way.

They sat there for a long time, just peacefully holding each other. Zuko was drawing patterns on his back and Sokka was playing with Zuko’s hair.

He played with his hair until he remembered their earlier conversation. When he did, he finally backed away fully.

“How about that braiding session?”

Zuko smiled. “Let’s do it.”

Sokka turned Zuko around and carded his fingers through his hair.

“Do you have a hair-tie?”

“Oh. Right. Yeah, I do.” Zuko quickly got up, hurried to the bathroom for one, and then hurried back to sit with him again.

He handed the hair-tie to Sokka and settled back down. Sokka carded his fingers through his hair once more, and then began to part it in sections.

Zuko spent the next few minutes shivering and shuddering from the tender touches and the soft tugging of hair. Sokka couldn’t help himself when he pressed his lips to his neck. Zuko shivered again. It was almost too much. Almost.

He didn’t mention the kiss or the fact that it left a wet mark that was now getting cold. Sokka didn’t mention the goosebumps or the shivers.

When Sokka neared the end of the braid Zuko felt conflicted. The touches were amazing and everything he wanted, but they were almost a bit too much too. Though he wished it would never stop, he also thought that maybe he could use a break. He was starting to feel light-headed. Was he breathing right?

Sokka finished the braid and turned him around. He admired him wordlessly. Zuko blushed at the sight.

Sokka ran his fingers along his hairline, tugging away some stray hairs, and then brought one of his hands down to his chin.

“You’re beautiful.”

Zuko didn’t know how to respond. Instead, he just let Sokka pull him into another tender kiss. It was warm and wet and oh so sweet.

“You wanna go get a coffee somewhere?” Sokka asked afterward. He was craving something ridiculously sweet.

They make their way down the stairs of the building and then walk down the street hand in hand. It felt exhilarating. Zuko had never held hands in the streets. At least not with another man. Judging by the slightly nervous look in Sokka’s eyes he hadn’t either.

They held on just a little tighter at the exact same time and then looked at each other and giggled. They ordered their coffee Zuko gave Sokka some shit over his ridiculous order and Sokka just kissed his cheek in reply. It shut him up instantly.

Zuko kind of hated that he loved that. And by kind of I mean not at all. He wanted to hate it. He wanted to hate that he felt happy and light. Somewhere in the back of his head his father’s voice was telling him he didn’t deserve it, but therapy proved useful and he figured out a way to shut him up and just enjoy himself. He did deserve it. Sokka certainly seemed to think so.

They share their coffees and tease the other about how gross it is. They giggled a lot together.

It almost seemed like they were having a date within a date as they sat there holding hands on the table and chatting and flirting like nobody was watching them.

When they had finished their drinks they walked back. Hand in hand of course. Sokka opened up a little bit more talking about his mother’s passing and his fear of abandonment due to his father never being home. He talked about feeling like he always had to take care of everyone while battling with this strange idea of what masculinity was, simply because his dad was never around enough to show him what it actually was.

He talked about therapy and some tips he got, and Zuko shared some of the tips his own therapist had given him. He supported him, and held him and wiped his tears off his face. He even attempted to give him a pep-talk, which was more messy than anything. He tried to throw in some good advice but could barely keep track of his thoughts as he was talking, and Sokka just ended up giggling at him.

“How did I get so lucky?” Sokka whispered with a laugh. He cupped Zuko’s cheek but did not kiss him this time. Yet.

“I guess you have some loud kids at the beach to thank for that.” Zuko joked.

Sokka kissed him deeply.

When Azula came back home she found them lying on the couch, both half asleep. Zuko was lazily draped over Sokka. They were holding hands on one side and Sokka was playing with Zuko’s half undone braid with the other. They didn’t even notice her coming in. She looked at them and smiled. She had to try her best not to get emotional but it was so damn hard.

The smile on Zuko’s face, while his eyes were closed, completely relaxed…. It was a sight she had never seen from her brother. She had sniffled before she could stop herself and both men immediately faced her.

“Oh hi, Aza.” Zuko didn’t move. He did bury his face in Sokka’s chest though, just to hide his blush.

“Hi, Azula.” Sokka smiled at her. “Sorry I didn’t let Zuko get up to text you.”

“It’s okay he texted me when you were having coffee.”

“You did?” Sokka turned back to Zuko.

“I had like 20 messages asking if things were alright, I had to say something,” Zuko mumbled into his chest.

“Alright fair.” He kissed the top of his head.

“Well, I brought dinner, you two hungry yet or what?”

They both definitely were and so they finally got up. They had dinner and Azula told them about her day and they told her about theirs. She pretended to be grossed out when Sokka said he kissed him, and again when Zuko said they cuddled. They all laughed together.

Sokka stayed the night and Zuko spent almost all of that time once again drowning in his eyes while Sokka held him.

When Zuko eventually does say his first proper I love you it just flops out when Sokka does something ridiculous. Sokka kisses him hard. And a lot. And Zuko doesn’t understand what’s going on so he asks, “hold on Sokka what’s happening.”

“You love me!”

“Yes of course I love you why is that- _Oh_.”

He looks Sokka up and down and then pulls him closer by his hands. “Let me try that again.” He let his eyes scan his face before he looked into his eyes. “I love you, Sokka.”

Sokka cries. He’s so happy. He kisses him while still crying. Zuko is crying too. Their salty kisses feel odd, to say the least, but it also felt so intimate. A kind of intimate only the two of them could have.

From then on Zuko says it all the time. When they say hello, or bye, or when he does or says something stupid, at the end of a long text, or just simply seemingly out of nowhere. Sokka couldn’t be happier, and neither could Zuko.

Two years later when they’re finally on their holiday to that national park they looked at, Zuko decided it was time. They drove to the best vista point of the park, the one with the lake and Zuko told Sokka to take a photo of him standing there.

He stepped in front of the camera and while Sokka looked down to change the settings, Zuko got down on one knee. He opened up the box and put on his best smile.

When Sokka looked back up he dropped the camera. It was a good thing Zuko had lovingly put the strap around his neck or they would have lost it on day one of their holiday.

“Sokka.” Zuko started, his voice shaky. “I love you with all my heart and I want to drown in your eyes forever. Will you marry me?”

“YES!” Sokka yelled out so loud it startled him. He started giggling, relieve washing over him, and quickly got up. Sokka kissed him so hard they almost fell into the lake.

Zuko laughed at him. “I said I’d drown in your eyes, baby, not in the lake.”

Sokka hugged him tightly, the camera quickly shoved to one side so he could press himself against his chest completely.

“I love you, Zuko. I can’t wait to marry you.”

Zuko gazed at him with tears in his eyes. “I love you too, Sokka.”

He didn’t stop gazing at his eyes for a solid minute and Sokka let him, knowing damn well what he was doing.

“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” He shook his head lightly, his voice quiet as he continued.

“…and I’ll be drowning forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't believe this is the end of this one! I hope you liked it as much as I liked writing it! <3
> 
> Btw, They have that note with Sokka's phone number framed above their bed. ;)

**Author's Note:**

> The date chapter will be up tomorrow. I hope y'all liked this one! <3


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